Many companies have employee training programs in place for recently hired employees. For example, when new employees first report to work after being hired, they may be asked to attend individual or group orientation sessions. Training programs for new employees may be used to train the employees for their new positions, and may also be used to introduce them to various aspects of working at the company, such as its culture, policies, and internal procedures.
Employee training programs may also be offered to more experienced employees. Continuing education or other refresher courses may allow veteran employees to learn about new developments in a particular field or a particular part of the business. Such continuing courses may allow the employee to remain current. Training programs may also be used for veteran employees in situations where the veteran employee is taking on new responsibilities within the company or transitioning into a different role.
The goals of employee training may vary by the employer's business, but may sometimes include enhancing skills, transferring institutional knowledge, increasing employee knowledge or competency, improving confidence, or creating a stable and productive work environment. For example, employers may train their employees on a variety of different skills and even different types of skills, including for example, technical aptitude skills and personal interaction skills.
The length of employee training programs may vary, with some training programs lasting only a few hours, and other programs continuing for weeks, months, or even up to a year or more. In some cases, training continues throughout the employee's entire time with the company, such as through ongoing training seminars, refresher courses, and the like. The investment in time and resources is rarely wasted, as well-trained employees may often reward such an investment with increased efficiency and improved work product compared to an employee who has not been trained.
Different forms of employee training may be used by different employers. For example, some companies use internal training programs, while others may use outside trainers to conduct the training. As another example, some employers use paper-based training, while others may use on-the-job training. Sometimes a single company may use these and other training options in combination, or may use different training options for different employees.